Improvement in steam vacuum-pumps



C. H. HALL.

Improvement in Steam Vacuum-Pumps.

a `5"`1 Patented Sep- 2411872' CHARLES H. HALL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN STEAM VACUUM-PUMPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 131,524, dated September'Q/l, 1872.

CASE J.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, CHARLES H. HALL, of

,New York city, in the State of New York,have `invented a certain Improvement in Steam Y Pumping-Apparatus, of which the following have determined by experiment that that isA not serious, while there is a marked. gain by the reduction of rubbing surfaces, and the great efficiency and small cost of the apparatus.

The following is a description of what I consider the best means of carrying out the invention. The accompanying drawing forms a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a vertical section, and Fig. 2 is a plan view.

Similar letters indicate like parts in all the figures.

A1 A2 are vessels of equal size, formed of cast-iron in one piece, and adapted to resist a strong internal pressure; as also to resist the l external pressure of the atmosphere when a vacuum is formed therein. E is a steam-pipe which communicates with a boiler-not represented. O is a pipe of sufcient size communieating with the tank or well from which the water is to be taken; and Pis a delivery-pipe adapted to convey away the water under pressure.

The chambers A1 and A2 are filled alternately with steam and water. The action is self-controlling. When the steam is excluded from a chamber, the water is received from the pipe O and fills it. Meantime the opposite chamber i'sbeing emptied of its water by the steam entering at its top and pressing downward on the surface with such force as to discharge the water outward through the discharge-pipe.V

When the water is thus expelled the reception of steam is cut oii and the chamber is soon again filled with water. While one chamber is being filled with water, the other is expelling its water. p

The source from which I derive the motive power to produce the proper changes in the positions ofthe valves at the period when the apparatus should change its condition from admitting steam on one side to admitting it on the other, is the force of the water in its discharge. I provide means which allow the water to be discharged quietly or without any inuence upon the valves'during the early portion of the discharge from each chamber, but at or near the close of each discharge, it becomes efficient and induces a strong movement of a part which, being properly connected, induces the shifting oi' the several valves.

The chambers Al A2 receive the water from the water-induction or-s'uction-pipe O through the valves o1 o2, which are placed at one side, as represented. The water is discharged through valves 191192, which are mounted on the opposite side of the main chambers A1 A2. The Water flows through these latter valves, to wit, through the discharge-valves, by passing down from each of the main chambers A1 A2 into sub-chambers provided in the bedcasting below, which are marked respectively Il 12--that is to say, the water in its discharge from the chamber A1 is compelled iirst to descend through an orifice which may be circular, and is indicated in Fig. 1 marked il, into the chamber below, which is marked Il, and from this latter chamber it is discharged upward pastthe discharge-valve p1 into the discharge-pipe P to be conveyed away. So also the water, in being discharged from the other main chamber A2, first iiows downward through the passage t2 into the sub-chamber I2; and from thence iiows past the discharge-valve p2 into the pipe l?. M1 M2 are iloats which move vertically with the rising and sinking of the water to alimited extent. They are guided by the rods m1 m2 provided with a jam-nut or other suitable stop on the upper end of each, as represented. While the water is high in either chamber, A1 or A2, these iloats, Ml M2, are held by their buoyancy at such an elevation that they are of no ei'ect 3 but when, by reason ot' the lowering of the water-surface, the floats cease to be supported at their highest elevation, and sink down, they soon come into a position where they are drawn down violently by the strong outward current which is flowing` downward through the cavity below into the sub-chamber; and when this condition is reached they move rapidly downward and induce the desired cha-n ge of conditions through agencies which will be described further on. The steam received through the pipe E is controlled in its admission to either chamber A1 or A2 by means of the valves c1 c2. These valves open upward, and each is provided with a stem which connects to a piston working moderately tight in a cylinder above. G is a pivoted beam, capable of rocking to a limited extent, mounted in the fork of the passage E. It turns on a central axis or pivot, g, and its ends take hold, respectively, of the stems f1 f2. The connection may be made in any convenient manner, so as to allow the slight motion necessary. I prefer to thin the ends of the lever Gr, and insert them through slots in the stems f1f2. These stems may be widened, if desired, so as to allow for a considerable slot without weakening the stem. It will be readily seen that the closing of either of the steam-valves c1 e2 involves the opening of its mate. The spaces above the small pistons h1 h2 communicate through the pipes H1 H2 with a point near the bottom of the correspondin g chambers A1 A2-that is to say, the pipe H1, open at both ends, leads from above the piston h1 to near the base of the chamber A1, and the pipe H2 leads from the space above the piston h2 to a point near the base of the chamber A2. Near the lower end of each is a cock, which is connected with the neighboring float before described by means of a lever, as shown. These cocks control the flow of fluid through the respective pipes. The lever L1 connects the float M1 with the cock k1 in the pipe H1, and the corresponding connection is made in the opposite chamber by means of the lever L2. In Fig. 1 the steam-valve e1 is closed and the steam-valve e2 is open. The steam flows freely from the pipeE past the valve e2 into the top of the chamber A2, and forces out the water. The water is delivered through the valve p2 into the discharge-pipe I? and conveyed away to be utilized. This operation induces a lowering of the surface of the water in the chamber A2, but this induces no change in the position of the float M2, nor of the connected cock k2, until the water is nearly all expelled from the chamber. At this juncture a further lowering of the water-surface commences to lower the float M2. So soon as this movement has yprogressed to such an extent as to lower the loat M2 until it comes within the inuence of the current of water which is being discharged downward through the orifice i2 the float M2 is sucked down tightly into the said orice, and a sudden change of the conditions of the entire apparatus ensues. This change of condition is initiated by this movement of the oat M2, through the agency of the lever L2 and the stop-cock k2, which latter being opened widely by the sudden sinking of the float M2 allows the steam which fills the chamber A2 to low upward through the pipe H2, and to equalize the pressure on the two sides of the piston h2. Under these new conditions the valve e2 sinks into its seat. rIhe lever G rocks on its center g, and the valve e1 opens. By this series of changes the steam is permitted to ow into the chamber A1 and induce a discharge of the water therefrom with a corrcspondin g movement of the oat M1, and a' corresponding change of conditions at the end of the movement. Meantime, while the chamber A1 is being thus emptied, the chamber A2 is being filled with water. Immediately on the closing of the steam-valve e2, and the consequent exclusion of any further accession of steam to that chamber, the pressure thercin may be assumed to commence to sink. This would ultimately result in a vacuum sufficient to induce. the inux of water from below, but it is important to hasten its operation. For this purpose I provide each chamber with a small pipe open at each end, which communicates by a point near the tcp of the chamber with the discharge-pipe P or the connected passages-in other words, I allow a small stream of water to tlow backward at will from the discharge-pipe, in which a pressure is always maintained, into either or both the main chambers A1 A2. rlhe pipe which performs this service for the chamber A1 is marked B1. The pipe which performs the corresponding service for the chamber A2 is marked B2. So long as the pressure in the chamber A2 remains greater than that in the delivery-pipe P there is no intlux through the pipe B2; but the pressure, which is never much beyond that in the delivery-pipe I), is reduced almost instantaneously after the closing of the steamvalve e2, so that cold water commences to flow backward through the pipe B2. The current thus injected rapidly condenses the steam, and so soon as the pressure is sufficiently lowered a strong current of water from the suctionpipe 0 induces an opening of the proper induction-valve o2, and an upward ilow through the orice i2 into the chamber A2, and fills it. The filling of the chamber lifts again the oat M2 to its original position and closes the cock k2.

The description of the operation on one side answers, ofcourse, for the other.

It will be understood that the two sets of the apparatus are exact counterparts of each other. One chamber, A1, fills with water while the other chamber, A2, empties. I prefer to so construct the apparatus that the filling of one chamber with water will be completed a little before the emptying of its mate, so that it will wait a very little time in the iilled condition.

It is not essential to the success of my apparatus that the pieces M1 M2 be capable of iloating on the water. It is only necessary that they shall present extended surfaces subject to the iniluence of the water, so that they shall be moved actively to a proper extent at the moment when the water is nearly discharged, and remain practically inoperative at the earlier periods. Any movable device which is of about the same weight as the water may serve, provided it is held, by friction or other cause, against sinking until it ceases to be supported by the water. It is important that it shall be subjected, at the right point, to the iniiuence of the current. If it floats it is certain to stay up out of the iniiuence until the water-line is lowered. If it is not exactly afloat the strong induction of the current of water is certain to lift it.

I have devised this apparatus as the result of much and expensive experiments. In case of difficulty from the air, which is liable to accumulate by repeated condensations of the steam, I propose to attach aprovision for expelling a small quantity of the iuid from the top of each chamber after each iilling with water by allowing it to pass out under a loaded valve in a side pipe, not represented. The force available for this purpose may be the sudden increase of pressure, analogous to that in a water-ram, which is experienced when the influx of water is suddenly stopped.` In case such cause is found to disturb the valves e1 e2 and cause them to open too soon I can use check-valves below the latter. I can face the valves or seats by tools, or with India rubber.

The form of many of the parts may be variously modified; but I esteem it important that the tops of the chambers Al Az be tapered, as shown, so that on first admitting the steam to the chamber it will strike only on a small surface, and will immediately heat it. The surface of the water should not be agitated by the influx of the steam; but it is well to cause the iniiux of the water from the water-pipe O to be directed so as .to agitate the water-surface, as otherwise a very slow action of the pump may be defeated by the steam in the chamber refusing to be condensed by the hot stratum on the surface, and if one of the steamvalves e1 or e2 should leak a very little the pump may stop unless this agitation during and by the iniiux of the water is provided for.

Under ordinary conditions the small valves opening outward over each piston h1 h2 will suffice to discharge sucient steam, and each at each operation, to rid the apparatus of air. At each opera-tion steam flows up through the pipe H1 or H2, and thek surplus above the atmospheric pressure mainly flows out into the atmosphere through the small valve at the top, leaving the remainder only to be condensed.

Where corresponding mechanisms are used on each side of the apparatus a claim for one side will be understood to apply to either or both. y

I claim as my inventionl. The float or movable piece M1, connected to the cock k1, and arranged, as shown, relatively to the orice il so as to suddenly open the cock and induce the closing of the steamvalve el when the water is nearly discharged from the chamber A1, as specied.

2. The lever G and valves el e2, with their connections, arranged and operating relatively to each other and to the steam and water chambers A1 and A2, as herein specified.

3. The passage H1, provided with suitable controlling means k1, in combination with the steam-induction valve el, so as to insure the closing of the steam-valve by the exhaust steam from the steam and water chamber A1, as herein specified.

In testimony whereof -I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of May, 1872, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

C. H. HALL. Witnesses:

ARNOLD HRMANN, W. C. Dnx. 

